virt-xml

List all the suboptions for a specific option

$ virt-xml --[option]=?

$ virt-xml --disk=? --network=? --boot=?

$ virt-xml [domain] --edit --[option] [suboption]=[new_value]

$ virt-xml [domain] --edit --metadata description="[new_description]"

$ virt-xml [domain] --edit --boot bootmenu=[on|off]

$ virt-xml [domain] --update --add-device --hostdev [bus].[device]

virt-xml [--edit] [--update] [--create] [--define] [--template ] [--disk ] [--network ] [--memory ] [--vcpus ] [--console ] [--graphics ] [--video ] [--input ] [--serial ] [--parallel ] [--sound ] [--watchdog ] [--balloon ] [--filesystem ] [--channel ] [--panic ] [--clock ] [--features ] [--cpu ] [--metadata ] [--seclabel ] [--devices ] [--rng ] [--tpm ] [--pm ] [--boot ] [--os ] [--loader ] [--nvram ] [--resource ] [--memorybacking ] [--numad ] [--iommu ] [--qemu-commandline ] [--replace] [--confirm] [--quiet] [--verbose] [--help] [--version]

    The name or UUID of the virtual machine domain to be modified. If used with --create it becomes name of the new domain.

--edit
    Edit the domain XML in an editor.

--update
    Update the domain XML in place.

--create
    Create a new domain XML file.

--define
    Define (register) the domain with libvirt using the generated XML.

--template
    Use a template file as a base for the XML configuration.

--disk
    Configure disk devices with specified options (e.g., `--disk path=/path/to/disk,device=disk,bus=virtio`).

--network
    Configure network interfaces with specified options (e.g., `--network bridge=virbr0,model=virtio`).

--memory
    Configure memory settings (e.g., `--memory 2048`).

--vcpus
    Configure virtual CPU settings (e.g., `--vcpus 2`).

--console
    Configure the console device (e.g., `--console pty,target_type=serial`).

--graphics
    Configure the graphical display (e.g., `--graphics vnc,listen=0.0.0.0`).

--video
    Configure the video card (e.g., `--video model=qxl`).

--input
    Configure an input device (e.g., `--input type=tablet,bus=usb`).

--serial
    Configure a serial port (e.g., `--serial pty`).

--parallel
    Configure a parallel port (e.g., `--parallel pty`).

--sound
    Configure a sound device (e.g., `--sound model=ich9`).

--watchdog
    Configure a watchdog device (e.g., `--watchdog model=i6300esb,action=reset`).

--balloon
    Configure a memory balloon device (e.g., `--balloon`).

--filesystem
    Configure a filesystem device (e.g., `--filesystem type=mount,accessmode=passthrough,source=/path/to/share,target=/guest/mount/point`).

--channel
    Configure a channel device (e.g., `--channel unix,mode=source,source_path=/path/to/socket,target_name=org.qemu.guest_agent.0`).

--panic
    Configure a panic device (e.g., `--panic model=i6300esb`).

--clock
    Configure clock settings (e.g., `--clock offset=utc`).

--features
    Configure CPU features (e.g., `--features acpi`).

--cpu
    Configure CPU settings (e.g., `--cpu host-passthrough`).

--metadata
    Configure domain metadata (e.g., `--metadata coreos.ignition.config.data=`).

--seclabel
    Configure security labeling (e.g., `--seclabel type=dynamic`).

--devices
    Add custom device XML elements (e.g., `--devices ''`).

--rng
    Configure Random Number Generator device (e.g., `--rng model=virtio,backend=/dev/urandom`).

--tpm
    Configure Trusted Platform Module device (e.g., `--tpm model=tpm-crb,backend=/dev/tpm0`).

--pm
    Configure Power Management (e.g., `--pm suspend_to_mem=enable,suspend_to_disk=enable`).

--boot
    Configure boot options (e.g., `--boot dev=cdrom`).

--os
    Configure operating system options (e.g., `--os type=hvm,machine=pc-i440fx-rhel7.0`).

--loader
    Configure the bootloader path (e.g., `--loader /usr/lib/efi/OVMF.fd`).

--nvram
    Configure the NVRAM path (e.g., `--nvram /path/to/nvram`).

--resource
    Configure domain resource partitions (e.g., `--resource memory=4096MiB`).

--memorybacking
    Configure memory backing options (e.g., `--memorybacking lock=on`).

--numad
    Configure NUMA settings (e.g., `--numad placement=auto`).

--iommu
    Configure IOMMU settings (e.g., `--iommu driver=intel`).

--qemu-commandline
    Pass options directly to QEMU (e.g., `--qemu-commandline '-cpu host,kvm=off'`).

--replace
    Replace an existing element.

--confirm
    Prompt for confirmation before applying changes.

--quiet
    Suppress non-error output.

--verbose
    Enable verbose output.

--help
    Display help message.

--version
    Display version information.

The `virt-xml` command is a command-line utility that allows users to modify and create XML configuration files for libvirt virtual machines. It provides a flexible way to manage virtual machine settings without directly editing the XML files themselves. This tool uses command-line options to perform various actions such as adding, removing, or modifying virtual hardware, configuring networking, and adjusting storage settings. `virt-xml` can be used to both create new XML configurations from scratch, and it can also modify existing configurations in place. This functionality is useful for automating virtual machine deployment and management tasks.

The tool uses the libvirt API for accessing the current domain configurations. `virt-xml` can safely handle most scenarios in both domain creation and modifications. For more complex modifications, however, it may be beneficial to manually edit the XML domain files using the virsh edit command.

Example Usage:

Create a new VM configuration:
`virt-xml newvm --memory 2048 --vcpus 2 --disk path=/path/to/disk.img,size=20,format=qcow2`

Modify an existing VM to add a network interface:
`virt-xml existingvm --network bridge=virbr0`

Modify an existing VM to remove a disk:
`virt-xml existingvm --disk path=/path/to/remove.img,remove=yes`

virsh(1)